Could coffee reduce your risk of liver cancer?

Coffee does so much more than just keeping you awake. Researchers from the University of Southampton and the University of Edinburgh have found that coffee of either the caffeinated or decaffeinated kind effectively reduces the risk of liver cancer. They determined this by conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis of previous publications regarding the topic.

Liver cancer, which is the sixth most common type of cancer worldwide, is very difficult to treat. Because of its poor prognosis, people who suffer from this disease only have a survival rate of 18 percent, making it the second biggest contributor to cancer-related deaths.

The most common type of liver cancer, known as hepatocellular carcinoma, usually develops in people who suffer from hepatitis B or C, as well as alcoholic and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease since these often cause cirrhosis.

Coffee, which is loved by many people around the world, contains bioactive compounds like caffeine, chlorogenic acid, and diterpenes. These compounds are responsible for the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antifibrotic, and anticarcinogenic activities of coffee.

The different biological activities of coffee have been associated with the reduced risk of chronic liver diseases such as fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma.

This review paper, which was published in the journal Scientific Reports, compiled the results of 34 studies from different online databases to determine the effects of caffeinated and non-caffeinated coffee on different risk factors of hepatocellular carcinoma.

From this study, the researchers found that drinking either caffeinated or decaffeinated coffee significantly reduces the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma by at least 33 percent. Moreover, they found that these benefits were achieved when an extra two cups of coffee are consumed each day.